Messages - Dalila Moreno

When he felt the need to specify that his boss would be glad to see him go not due to the quality of his work, Dalila smiled. She knew that; she had taken his references before offering him the job. The comments had been about his exemplary work, and she had seen how good he was at it too. He had fixed her shaky shuttle after all. She let him talk, though, because she loved the sound of his voice, and the enthusiasm in his voice was soothing too. She was so glad that he was eager to join her on the Freyja…

“Well, all that I have to pack you see here. I’m used to travelling light, since I knew that I could be asked to leave here at any moment. I’ll probably make one last tour of the ship, go eat my favorite meal at my favorite restaurant and take it easy, since I am client-free from here on.” She said, and then decided that she would not begin to pack tonight, Tomorrow would be soon enough. Tonight, he was here, and she intended to take advantage of him. She drained her glass of wine, put it aside, and took the decision to move forward with her idea.

Dalila moved to stand, keeping one foot on the floor and one knee on the seat. She placed one hand on the back of the couch and leaned forward toward him, aiming for the side of his neck. “Please tell me that you have no issue sleeping with your boss, and I’ll show you how little of our one sexual encounter was about me doing my job.” She offered and her lips pressed against the side of his neck, just at the edge of is jaw.

The top part of her dress slipped and fell for the second time tonight. However, this time she did not pick it back up. She let the length of fabric fall into her lap and raised her free hand to the other side of his neck. Her brown hair was pulled over her shoulder by the way she tilted her head, offering him an unhindered expanse of smooth skin, front and back, right down to her waist where the fabric still clung to her hips. “Tell me that you want to make this personal, Seth, and no man will touch me for as long as you want of me and I of you.” She whispered, pulling her head back just enough that he would be able to kiss her if he wanted.

Dalila was patient, relaxed, there was no need for him to hurry through his surprise and his thoughts. All that she had left to do was to pack here and that would not take her overly long. She had two large chests to put her clothes in, and had required a third for little things like the tea set she had been gifted, or the small wooden statues that one of her client had carved for her. With nothing to do than her exercise routine and packing, she would be ready in time if she started tomorrow early.

Leaving the Oasis still felt a bit surreal. She had made a great amount of credits here, as it hovered around the best planets for companions and there was also plenty of business on board. She could retire, live comfortably for the rest of her days unless she ran into a bad luck, but this time on the Freyja might secure this retirement further. Dalila loved being a companion for the social side of it all, not for the make-believe part. Plus, she was always too inclined to become attached, unable to remain truly emotionally unavailable… Maybe that was why she had jumped on this assignment so quickly. She would still get to play hostess, but at least she would no longer have to fake being in love, being interested in someone until they believed it.

“I didn’t think you would interfere, Seth. These are just… basic boundaries. I am so glad, and so relieved that you accept the position.” And the emotions were easy to hear in her voice and to see in her eyes. She was thrilled that he would agree to come with her on this new adventure. She could only hope that she would be good enough as captain. She had a good head on her shoulder, was very conscious of the wellbeing of her crew, she had to do well… She believed that she could.

“You would be leaving with me in two days. Otherwise, the two ships may not be in the same area for a couple weeks, maybe a couple of months. You can wait if you want to, or if you have to. I know it is short notice to pick up your life and move, but also for your supervisor, but I’ve heard through the grapevines that he was required to reduce the number of mechanics, so you may save someone else’s job by leaving with me; he might be relieved. Would leaving the day after tomorrow be too soon?” She asked him and titled her head, observing him, reading the signs. He wanted to become her lover, that was not even a question she needed to ask; she had read it all over him over and over again whenever they met. She was looking for signs of a strain that leaving so quickly could put on him, and see if she could make it easier somehow.

Dalila saw all the emotions flow through him. He was good at hiding most of them, but she was equally as good as reading them. The longer she spent with one particular person, the easier it got to reading them. She had been intimate with him, and not just as a physical level. He had professed love that night, showered her with compliments, and so on. Their time together had always been very pleasant, and she could tell that sometimes he had felt the urge to push further but held back. She was, after all, a companion.

She bowed her head in gratitude at his congratulatory words, and smiled at him. Deserving, maybe. It was the start of her dream. She could learn the ropes of being a captain, and solidify her position as high priestess, and when that would be done, then she may be able to look for students in places where the guild refuses to look. “Thank you.” She said and tilted her head as he appeared to be pondering a way to say what comes next.

Her first thoughts was that he was refusing to follow her. I would be understandable, of course. Two days was a short notice, and chief mechanic – or chief engineer, she couldn’t recall the exact name of the title right there and then - was a big step up. He claimed to know his place in the grand scheme of social classes and she was offering him to climb up the ladder. His question made her lips twitch into a smile, which she hid behind a sip of wine.

“I am offering you because you are a -good- mechanic. And I’m asking you because I really like you. I will be the ship’s High Priestess, no longer offering service to clients as anything other than the main hostess of the ship, should they have a complaint. If I recall our conversations, it is the possibility of intimacy with other men that bothered you most about what I do. It’s something that I will not do anymore. I am no longer taking clients, my name is off the roster of available candidates since this morning. We could become lovers.” She took another sip of wine and set the cup aside on the coffee table.

“Any other concerns, Seth? Your quarters would be about as big as what I have here, the pay is a big step above what they can afford to pay you here, you would have access to the whole ship the same a you do here: gym, pool, observation deck, bar… As long as your presence do not interfere between client and companion, you are free to come and go as you please.” Dalila reached out with a hand and placed it on the tip of his closest shoulder. She was willing him to take the job, to come with her.

The wine offered was not cheap, of course, but Dalila couldn’t care less about the expense. She had to pack her things and move out of those quarters. Two days was all she had. Two days to clean up the small loft and during that same time she had to convince him to come with her, that it was best for him if he did. Since when did her desire for human connection had become stronger than her sense of duty? She had been pulled to him from the moment he came toward her shuttle, fumbling with his tools and trying to impress. It had been charming, endearing…

The High Priestess had said, back during Dalila’s apprenticeship, that she would not be a companion for long. Not because of her grade; Dalila had been quite good at the topics she had picked for herself. The High Priestess said she wouldn’t be a companion for long, because she would fall in love and accept to marry. Dalila had always been too close to her emotions and while training had taught her to hide them behind the appearance of serenity and calm, it had failed to teach her to suppress them.

She poured the wine into two cups before placing the carafe back where it came from. There was about a cup left, visible at the bottom of the container. Well, she wouldn’t have to buy another bottle now. “I’m leaving the Oasis.” She said, echoing one of his thoughts without even knowing. Her tone reflected how she felt about it. An ambivalence between the thrill of a promotion, a new challenge, and a dread of leaving the security of something she know, the presence of someone she liked…

“I have been offered a somewhat edulcorated version of my dream. In two days, I leave here to become the captain and High Priestess of the Freyja, a companion ship that trains apprentices who are nearly done, but struggle with some aspects or subject matters that a companion needs to master.” She announced and sat on her loveseat. She pat the seat beside her to invite Seth to come sit with her but her pause was only long enough for her to draw breath and speak again.

“The ship is fairly new, functional but not fully staffed. The last Captain had a knack of running off good, qualified people before she returned to the Companion life.” She shook her head as if to shake off the digression. “The chief mechanic position is opened. For you. If you’d like a change of venue.” She she offered and realized that she could have paced herself and not just pour it all out like she had to empty a bottle by holding the bottom up; let him wrap his head around her leaving and being promoted before offering him to do the same. She took a sip of wine and the dress very nearly fell again but she caught it in time.

Dalila felt it the moment she stretched her arm to open the door. The subtle shift of her posture that would have been without consequences if she wore anything but the ceremonial cleansing dress. Before she caught it, Seth had a full view of her naked back, and since she turned to face him, her naked heavy breasts as well. As if it was nothing more than the strap of a dress barely falling off her shoulder, Dalila picked up the length of cloth and placed it over her shoulder again, covering herself decently.

“I hope it was nothing too serious.” She said, regarding him being so late. There was no reproach in her voice, not even a hint of impatience. She did not mind that he was late, even if she had spent every minutes waiting for him thinking about how to break the news to him, and how to make her offer and how to deal with the answer. Positive, negative, she had thought of a dozen of things that she could say that could convince him.

She walked to him with her usual gliding grace that showed this wasn’t an affected way to walk: it was her normal way. She placed her arms around his neck and did the unthinkable. She climbed on her toes and kissed his lips. It was a quick kiss, where she cradled his lip between hers for a moment. Her body pressed to him during this time, and when she broke the contact, it was to speak softly. “I have big news to share with you, and an offer to make as well. Would you like some wine?”

Dalila remained close to him, believing after his reaction to her wardrobe slip, that he still desired her just as strongly as their magical night together. He would not push her away, or at least she did not believe that he would, and it gave her hope that he might agree to date a High Priestess, the captain of a ship where he would gain in ranks beyond what he could do here, on the Oasis.

The glasses clinked and Dalila downed the last of her own. Again. She knew she had passed the point of no return, that went her body would have absorbed all the alcohol she wouldn’t walk straight, might talk a mite too loud, and… she might eventually be in a long conversation with the porcelain god in her cabin. The latter being only a possibility. She knew that the latter, especially, was not the most likely scenario but the rest? Very probable, on top of impaired judgment. There was a nagging voice in the back of her head that she might be making the wrong impression to her executive officer. Or maybe he’d just see her as human, something that Dalila had no issue with.

“Don’t mix, give it to me straight up from here on. I’ve had enough sweet and sour to last a while.” Dalila said to the barmaid. There was a small moment of silence following his question. Dalila was not in the right place to tell him to keep his hands off a licensed companion. She was sleeping with the chief mechanic, she had even brought him on board. How could she tell him that he could not pursue a bit of stress relief with a willing companion, if the companion was also willing? It was not her lace.

“The apprentices are off limit completely unless you are acting as an authority figure. The companions who are not entertaining clients are perfectly able to tell you where their limit lie. I am their host, their guide, not their guardians. I don’t mind the crew fraternizing either, as long as it doesn’t hinder their work shift. It’s a bit naïve to think that people will be on this boat all day, every day, and they won’t bond in some way…” Dalila said, wondering if she said too much, or if he would oppose her choices. She would be sure to listen, if he did, and take his advice into serious consideration. Dalila did value his experience as much as she let on.

Dalila paced in her room, back and forth, back and forth. She was rarely agitated that badly. It bugged her that the assignment change had come so quickly. The last trip of the Oasis near Sihnon had carried a frustrating news, followed a day later by something of a bittersweet offer. During the last year, her project of a chapter house in space had been studied, and done. Yes. Done! But the guild had twisted it around so badly that Dalila did not even recognize it beyond companion chapter house in space.

It wasn’t about looking for fresh blood in less fortunate environment. It was about provided companion with a moving home around the core world. It was about helping apprentices going through the last hoops to become a full-fledged companion. It was about helping the less qualified one, or those who had trouble with a certain topic to get the one-on-one teaching they needed. It made her want to scream, because it was such an edulcorated version of her project, that they had given to someone else. Now because that someone else had jumped ship and gone back to service the clients, Dalila was finally considered as a serious candidate to be ship captain.

She wanted to tell the gorram bunch of Guay Toh Guay Nown to go… Dalila slowed her steps and went through a breathing exercise. She calmed herself, rid herself of the anger and slowly recovered her usual serene exterior, even if she was boiling inside. What was Seth doing? She wondered. It wasn’t him to be late unless something happened that required his attention.

It had been about a month since the night he had hired her. They had spent time together here and there. Training, swimming, watching a movie, it had been fun and she had felt herself grow fonder and fonder of the man. Now, she was confronted with the choice to offer him a job on the Frejya, or to leave him behind, and the latter hurt more than it should. She had grown attached to him, which was really no surprise. The man managed to balance sweet, charming and masculine so well…

She sat in her couch, careful that the length of cloth that hug loosely over her shoulder did not slip off. She had cleansed from her last client on the Oasis. It had a finality to it that was almost scary. Tomorrow at this time, she would be High Priestess and Captain of the Frejya. She had her hair loose on her shoulder, with still a hint of moisture to them. She knew that she smelled of the soap and oils she used to clean herself after meeting with a promiscuous client, that she was dressed to seduce him even if it wasn’t the goal of this meeting.

The knock at the door made her jump, and the top of her dress slipped off, exposing the top of her body, but she was still alone. She rose gracefully, walked toward the door and opened just a crack to see who was on the other side. God, those eyes. He was so gorgeous, all of him, but those eyes… “Come in, Seth.” She said, moving aside to open the door wider and invite him in. She thought that she had caught hints of his affection for her, that the connection was not unrequited. Would he agree to take the leap and follow her? From Engineer to Chief engineer, he would gain responsibilities, prestige, and a higher pay… but he was a simple guy, living a simple life, and he had given her the feeling of not aspiring to more…

“We would have met that much sooner, I guess.” Dalila said when he confirmed that he was offered a job on the same boat than she had spent her few years as a companion in service. It was where she had met Seth, too. She had had a good time on board of the Oasis, and finding new contracts had been so easy. Sometimes she missed the lack of responsibility that she had on the oasis, other than keeping up with the guild standards.

It was then that she noticed how she was already passed the halfway point of the sweet and sour drink. She knew she ought to stop, that she should lead by example, but for once in her life decided that she would just let it go where it would. When he tried to tease her about gray hair, she did not even glance toward where he was pointing. She just smiled at the taunt,

“Give me a break. I really want to reach thirty before my first gray hair shows. Given how some of my sisters are behaving, I am bound to have a few before that.” She said with a wry smile, but then she chuckled and her features smoothed back to the warm, welcoming smile that she had shown to him so far.

“Well, I, for one, am happy you chose to come work with us. I think it will be a great help that you aren’t a companion. It gives a different perspective and, well… I’m also quite relieved that one of us has experience in flying a ship. So… to team work.” She said and raised her glass toward him. Toasts were the best way to get drunk. At first, they seem totally justified, and eventually they would toast to the stupidest of things. It was a slippery slope, but once again, Dalila could not bring herself to care enough to stop drinking…

As her climax ebbed, she was aware of his movement. Her gazed followed him, her legs accommodated his bulk, and she held her hands up to his shoulder. The smile on her lips was appeased, serene, warm and welcoming. She let him lower himself and felt how ready he was for pleasure himself. She glanced down, surprised at her own curiosity. He was far from the first man that she saw naked, and had sex with, but he was one of the rare one about whom she was curious.

When her gaze came back to his face, it made contact with his and did not shift away. “I don’t want a break. I want you.” She stated clearly even though her voice was huskier and still affected by her heavy breathing. He teased her – because she refused to believe that the exploration of her fold now was out of inexperience – and made her inhale sharply. She loved that he took his time, that he would to make her feel sensations, rather than just use lube, get his rocks off and walk out satisfied. He was not that kind of man, she realized, and it endeared him to her even more.

Dalila raised her legs then, each of them feeling like they were made out of led since her body had been relaxed so well by his previous ministration. Her knees came at his hips, but her heels rested against his ass and she pressed forward. If he wanted to have a hint that she was ready and wanted him beside the words said, that could not have made it more obvious. She was pulling him down to her with both hands and feet, she wanted to kiss him.

Dalila realized that this wasn’t just sex; she wanted him to make love to her. Really make love, connected both physically and emotionally. She knew that it was wrong, that he would never agree to her being a companion and his woman. He had been abundantly clear about that. It was the way that she earned a living, though, and even if she had enough money to last her a while… Her thoughts were brought back to the here and now abruptly. “Kiss me.” She demanded softly.

Talking and drinking, Dalila didn’t really keep track of how much she did of the latter. She did not have to fly anywhere, the ship did not require of her to be clear headed, Seth still hadn’t shown up, and the company here and now was interesting. She had no reason not to drink other than being reasonable. She could afford to be not reasonable one evening a year, right?

She listened to Connor, giving him her undivided attention once it was obvious that the newcomer would not come and try to join the conversation. She nodded here and there to show that she was listening, smiled a little when he said something that she had heard before: how routine could get so very boring. “Was it the Oasis? I was on the Oasis before I accepted the job here. It was nice, easy to find work for companions there, but like you I ended up finding the job to be a bit mind-numbing.” She said and smiled.

“We’re like swans on a pond. We look calm, and graceful, make very little ripples with our movements, but we pedal like mad under to make sure that we look like that. Or at least some of us do.” She said with a chuckle and then she shook her head. He would get to see passed the superficial appearance at some point, might as well start telling him about it now.

“It’s a lot of work, but it’s kinda nice. It changes from taking care of clients. I have received the title of High Priestess and of Captain at once, I am still adapting to the two roles. I never thought I’d qualify for the first one, especially not at my age. I expected more white in my hair and lines on my face when that would happen. The timing was incredible, though. My faith was… wavering.” She said, realizing at the last second that she might have said too much.

“I could never understand why beauty and refinement would be found only in elite families. Some girls are recruited as young as six years old. I was eight. The refinement can be learned. Besides, the constant discipline and teachings of any companion school worth the name is made to make or break its recruits. At worse, the girls would be returned to their parents with an excellent education that may be useful in other ways. I believe that it has more to do with archaic thoughts of keeping the noble blood pure, and the poor people poor, like the stories of a thousand years ago…” She explained and shrugged. It was time for her to get off her soapbox before the XO found an excuse to go to more agreeable company, Dalila thought to herself.

She had never lost her smile, or her eased and comfortable posture all through the conversation, however, and the second glass appeared to be just as easy to drink as the first had been. His question about how she joined the guild was not surprising. It was one question that she had heard often through the years, and which she did not mind. “I am the third daughter of four siblings. It took my parents four tries to have the boy that my father wanted. My two elders were… Well, they are not ugly, but they inherited my father’s rather prominent hawkish nose.” She said, making a motion over her own small nose to emphasize the issue with her sister’s not meeting the standard of beauty.

“My mother dreamed of being a Companion, when she was a girl, and decided to live the experience through me and prepared me by changing what I was for something she deemed acceptable for the Companion guild. My sisters were horrible, because they thought that being my mother’s favorite was all rainbows and sunshines, nothing could be further from the truth… When I was thin enough to my mother’s taste, we made a trip to Sihnon, and I was taken in, then nursed back to a proper weight. My mother was rather disappointed that she could not take part in my training and live it through me. The moment I was taken in, I barely saw my parents. It was training day in and day out, but I liked it better anyway. Sometimes, the family that you choose to surround yourself with is better than the one to which you are bound by blood.” She explained, knowing that if Connor had no clue about companion training, he would get one on board of this chapter house and school.

“What about you? What made you accept this job?” She asked and as she thought about it, she tried to imagine how he must have felt before he gave her an answer, just to see if she could guess right. She figured he could be one of two types: either he was eager to be around companions because they were all gorgeous and some could simply not take their mind off the fact that they were not very prude. Or he could have found challenging, perhaps even daunting to be among companions, to have to live more or less by their culture and customs. Her opinion of Connor was that he probably was a man to take on such challenge, rather than to be guided by the brain located south of his belt.

She felt his breath on the inside of her thigh and she knew that it was imminent. He kissed her skin and she could feel the cooling trail that it left behind. Her senses were on alert, her skin like on fire and all she could think was not going over the edge too quickly. She wanted them to take their time, to take it easy, though if he was in a rush, she would oblige. He was the one to set the tone of this encounter, and she was here to give him the time of his life. That was not just the companion thinking, it was the woman too. So rarely did she have clients whom she truly desired, with whom she did not have to fake passion. Seth made it easy, with his simply manners and unassuming bearing.

A gentle tease, a soft touch and then he found it as if he had been with her before. Her back arched slightly and she let out a soft gasp. His confidence grew, or at least that was how she read the hint that he gave her. His tongue moved away, but the movement of her hips – a gentle curl she was not quite aware she was doing – offered him access to her depths. When his tongue went back upward and her pearl was teased with a bit more insistence, she moaned softly and squirmed.

It did not take long before soft moans became louder. Dalila was not concerned that she might be overheard; this was the Companion area, and the rooms had been built to offer a maximum of privacy, but even if they had not, she would not care if someone heard her take pleasure from this intimate moment. Her moans built steadily with each swirl of his soft tongue, became more frequent and louder, until her body stiffened. She held onto the edge for only a split second – although it seemed far longer than that to her – and it happened.

Dalila allowed the sensation to fill her whole, and she said his name with a breathy voice. It was so easy to moan that name, to let him know that it was him who made her body quiver from ecstasy. Her toes curled, her back arch and – all too soon – the sensation began to ebb slowly. The quivering did not stop, however. Even if her body eased up, and her panting breath was countered by the deep breaths of a breathing exercise, she still felt in her core the remnant of a powerful orgasm.

One sip here, and one sip there, and soon Dalila’s glass would be empty. She still had a little ways to go, but she still motioned at the bartender to fix her a refill. It was not a good idea, but she had not properly celebrated her promotion in that way. It was sweet, and she knew that the more alcohol she had, the worst she would get in the morning – and not just in the hangover kind of way, but in the guilt of overindulging kind of way too – but right this moment, she did not care. She was human, she needed to let loose once in a while. Besides, it wasn’t like Connor was a client.

Dalila nodded about his offer to let him practice, and down went the rest of her drink. It was just in time too, as the bartender came with the second drink, and took the empty glass away. “If you come and visit my quarters at some point, the statuette is about this tall” she said, showing about six inches between her fingers. “And it’s on the book shelf by the door. It was an interesting experience. I’ve posed for artists before: drawings, paintings… But never for the sake of sculpture and it was interesting to see it come to life.” From a block of wood came out a small caricature of herself, enhancing her most notable features: hair, breasts-waist-hips ratios, long legs, and all the tiny details…

“This is… Well, it’s a slightly modified version of what I really wanted to do. More than slightly. The Companion guild limits its recruiting in elite families. I’ve always believed that there was some very good potential for companions among other families that aren’t the elite. I wanted to start a school in space, to recruit in less fortunate homes, and worlds. It didn’t please all that many people, but the idea of a training school in space made it’s way. So we get here apprentices that need supervised practice with clients, those who have trouble with certain aspects of our life and training… And some Companions who are willing to take time out of their busy schedule to give them that training. I was very disappointed when I was told that the position was given to someone else, but in the end everything worked out. Almost, but this place is still young and has time to evolve.” She explained, which was way more than she intended to share.

Dalila wasn’t sure if it was a good or a bad thing, though. He could be an elitist for all she knew, and view her attempt at broadening the recruiting scope of the guild as a despicable way to mix blood with someone of the lower classes. Or he could be the exact opposite, and think that she was motivated by pity, when it fact what motivated her was the simple principle that no one picked their parents and where they were born. That money did not mean intelligence or beauty, it only meant opportunity to bribe…

Dalila ran a hand into her dark hair, removing a good portion of it from her face momentarily and swept it toward the bag. The dark strands, however, would slowly go back into place. It was odd to think that the Freyja was something of a dream come true to her, though at a much, much larger scale. It was a bit bittersweet in a way, but Dalila was where she wanted to be an in the end, that was what mattered. She kept drinking in small sips, because she loved the sweet and sour taste of the drink and because she was thirsty. The voice, in the back of her head, that told her to go easy on the drink was ignored.

“I’ll dance if you play for me one of these days.” she offered, smile genuine. If he played horribly, she’d endure. She had done worse to honor a contract; she could do as much for someone whom she considered had the potential to become a real friend. If he played well, she’d enjoy dancing and she’d make sure to let him know what she thought of his skills too. Movement caught her eyes and for just a moment they flickered to see who was coming in. When she saw a member of the staff coming for a drink, she looked away. Some people took meeting gaze as a good enough ice-breaker. In this case, she did not want to find herself with three or four crew mates around her. She was off duty.

“What kind of carvings do you do? Do you carve some of those caricatured small statues of people you know? I met someone who did that once, he did a rather flattering one of me, it was amusing.” She asked, and it was clearly not just a courtesy question on her part; she was truly interested in his answer. She had always expected her executive officer to be a guild member, a companion or someone who had flunked and re-oriented themselves to gain a skill set suitable to be XO. To have a non-guild member proved to be interesting, and in a good way.

Dalila observed him, his reactions. He was as beautiful to her as she was to him and the fact that he was so unassuming only added to it all. She had more than her share of arrogant client, of people who were convinced of being god’s gift to the ‘verse. He wasn’t like that. Right there and then, as she caressed him, she appreciated the sight of his muscular, slender body, and how he seemed to be near bursting with desire. When he said her name, the tone and manner made her smile broaden.

When he spoke again, her gaze went up to meet with his and her smile turned tender, her touch remained soft and slow on his shaft and jewels below. She had heard this kind of awe before, but as it came from him it felt so genuine and not just a client fawning over his paid fare. As he asked his question, she appeared to ponder what she could answer to this. She wanted them to make love, she desired something more deeply intimate than a simple client-companion sexual intercourse.

“You’re on your way to do one of the best things…” Dalila answered quite honestly. She moved her legs with the slightest hint from him, accommodating his shoulder width easily. She was excited, and very aroused already. He would see it, and perhaps even smell it from where he was if he had a sharp nose. Her breathing was slow and measured, but her heart beat was neither. She truly loved what he was about to do, and all that she needed, now, was to learn what kind of skill he possessed and that would find its answer soon.

Feeling unable to simply lie down and let him do his thing to her, Dalila reached down and her fingers found his curls. It was as unexpected as it was intense, the way that he had made himself the center of her attention. She couldn’t explain it, other than a real chemistry happening between them, a connection that started the moment he stepped into her shuttle. She had never felt the need to prove that she was more than the common whore before, and yet she had kissed him to prove to him that she was more than just a step beyond a whore or an ordinary woman…

How thrilled she was that he had sought her services as a companion and how quick she had been to waive some fees, and reduce the price. How she insisted that he sought her out, outside of a contract to train together, swim together… Generally spend more time together. She knew that given the opportunity, she would have sex with him outside of a contract, giving herself to him freely, and she did not want to think about how being a companion could potentially ruin it all. Would he see beyond it? Would he agree that she continue her business? Require that it be platonic with everyone but him? Such thought were pushed aside as she felt his breath on her skin and she braced herself for the sensations to come.

Dalila was probably one of the least formal and stuck up Companion there was. She could never abide by the whole elite companion for the elite society, and let the poorer people have their whore line of thought. She had not gone head to head with the mother of all Companions to express her point of view, but it was well known that she had had a roster of client that wasn’t among the highest of elite. Being here, informal, wasn’t much of a sacrifice for her, really.

She sipped her drink as she listened to the reason why he was still on board of the ship. So it was duty that kept him on board. She nodded slowly, knowing how some tasks were easier done when there were fewer people on board. It was probably why she couldn’t find her lover; he was probably jumping on the opportunity to do some maintenance in the companion’s room while they were off planet and did not risk being bothered by the chief mechanic being in their room when they meant to bring a client in or teach an apprentice.

“When this place is crowded…” She said and appeared to ponder for a moment, filling the silence with another sip of her drink. “I hide in my room.” She said, and thought she could mention Seth, but while it was not something that she hid from anyone, it was also not something that she openly advertised. There was a difference between her private life and her professional life. Seth was private. Most definitely private.

“I do enjoy a good book, or an old movie. If it’s not too crowded, there’s a pool table not too far from here, and I like a challenge. How do you unwind, crowd or no crowd?” She asked and tilted her head. Her manners were all deeply graceful, as if she could not shake years of training, even if she wanted to be. It was probably the case, because she was not trying to charm Connor, or to seduce him. At the very least, she managed to stay out of his personal space…

Dalila saw Connor coming in, but she kept to herself. It wasn’t that she wanted nothing to do with him; he had proved to be decent so far. It was more that she did not want to intrude on his personal time. Some people could mix personal and professional, other people couldn’t compartmentalize as much and losing a friend because she took an executive decision that they did not agree upon would always be unpleasant. As serene as she looked, come hell or high water, it was only training and façade. Her attachment to the chief engineer was proof that the training had not quelled the need for deeper, meaningful relationship that did not involve money transactions.

When Connor came toward her, and spoke to her, he offered him a genuine warm smile. “You would have guessed right, but I have discovered this drink recently and it makes liquor go down more easily.” She admitted and took a sip and there was just the shadow of a reaction sweeping over her features before they were back to the serene, pleased smile. Drinking alone was bad, but she wasn’t drinking to forget, or even doing it often enough to be called a habit.

“Have a seat, Mr. Murphy. There’s no need being formal here. I am your captain, but I am their High Priestess. So I would answer to both titles.” She said, pointing at a companion talking with a woman who was a few years younger and nodding eagerly. “While I am here, though, it would be nice to hear my own name.” She offered. She was never one to be so overly formal in situations that did not require it. Would she berate him for using her name outside of the bar? It depended entirely on the situation.

“It’s quiet tonight. I figured that I could come here and unwind while everyone has business down on the planet. What keeps you on board?” She asked, trying to keep the conversation going. She angled her body on her seat so that facing him would not require turning her head as much, but it would also let him know that she wasn’t simply humoring him or tolerating his presence beside her. She crossed her legs at the knees, to keep one out of his space and took a sip of her yellow drink.

Month 2, day 15Lorianda Shaw tended her resignation as captain. She prefers being a regular companion, rather than an administrator.

Month 2, day 26Second captain: Dalila MorenoDalila joins the crew, bringing with her a man that she promotes as chief mechanic engineer.

Month 3, day 3 to ? ~ Orbiting Sihnon›› How Many Is This Now?Plot: Captain and XO meet for a drink, and end up taking way more than one. Way more.Characters: @Dalila Moreno, @Connor MurphyWarning: Drinking, maybe shameless flirting, who knows?Status: Ongoing

It was a quiet night. Many of the full companions were down at the chapter house, some of the apprentices were getting off here to get their last test before getting their license. Dalila herself had paid a quick visit to the chapter house of the red planet. Sihnon had never been her favorite world. She preferred by far being somewhere green and lush, with a lot of water. She had always loved vast expanses of water; they were soothing.

Since the ship was so quiet and that she couldn’t seem to find her chief engineer, she looked for him into the lounge. It was almost empty, which was to be expected. The boat was a large luxurious cruise ship that had been bought by the guild, for the guild, and so far it proved to be a very good way to train those apprentices who needed more tutoring than the average. Dalila glided in and went to the bar, sitting in the far corner from which she would be able to observe the whole room. The good thing about being on a companion ship was that she did not stick out like a sore thumb, but the bad thing about it where the undercurrent in a competitive environment; something that Dalila had never really appreciated.

“White wine, High Priestess?” The bartender asked. She was one of the girls that could never make it as Companion. A flaw in her temper, in her way to deal with intimacy that prevented her to be what she could have become. Dalila thought that being here, behind the counter among all these people who reminded her of what could have been might be harsh for the bartender, but the young woman was smiling and at ease, and showed absolutely no sign of strain in her body language.

“No, not tonight. What was the drink that you had me try the other day? Tasted like lemon…Whiskey…” Dalila said, getting comfortable. As was usual for her, she was wearing a long dress that went down to her ankles, snug at the bodice, but loose from the waist down. Her long brown hair was loose on her shoulders, left naked by the sleeveless dress. Her olive tan was enhanced by the deep brownish red of the dress.

“One whiskey sour coming right up.” The bartender said with her usual cheery tone and she went about fixing the drink.

“Of course, you.” She said softly and by the way he behaved, he appeared to say that he paled compared to what he saw before him. She knew that he found her beautiful; she had unsettled him from the very moment they had met, making him juggle with his tools, and the way he stared at her. She didn’t let it go to her head, didn’t make it feel like it was ordinary. It was flattering that her body, in its most vulnerable form, was rendering him speechless.

He guided her to the bed and she let him. She knew what he wanted now and the sudden race to get rid of clothes, that momentary lapse in the pacing, was behind them. Now, they would make love to one another. They would discover each other’s little quirks just like he had with the nibble on her neck and she looked forward to every second of it. Dalila sat on the edge of the bed, her hands finally coming in contact with his waist, but when she expected him to stand between her legs, or kneel between them, she found her legs stuck between his and did not fight it.

Dalila leaned back and pulled a pillow under her head while he made himself comfortable straddling her hips. Her head turned to prepare for the perfect lips-lock and her hands reached up to cup his face as he lowered it toward her. Her eyes were closed, her lips parted and she was ready to kiss him as deeply and passionately, or lightly and sensually as he desired. As they kissed, hands traveled up and down each reaching for a specific destination.

Dalila’s hands went down to his knees and slowly climbed up, her thumbs followed the curve of his thighs and gently pressed on the inside so that he would be quite aware of it. She wanted him to anticipate the touch, to desire the touch. She wanted him to encourage her in his mind to go for it, take his ranging member in her hand and give it a good squeeze, but at the last second, as the tip of her thumb would brush against the jewels, her hands made the trip back.

Dalila arched her back under his hand, pressing her breast further against his palm. The points were already hard; the earlier shiver, the removal of the bra, the sudden cool air against the skin, and now his touch, it had all contributed to turning her nipple into hard little pebbles, almost aching for attention. The roughness of his hand did not bother her; it was not so bad that it felt like sandpaper to her perfectly moisturized, silk-soft skin.

At the second pass, her hands did not stop. They went and explored it all with a gentle but firm touch. She sought to make him even more needy, without turning up the arousal to a point where a few tugs would put him out of order for a while. Dalila wanted him to feel her warm, soft hand against every part of his – obviously very ready – cock. He had a really nice size; definitely not small but not big to cause worry either, just perfect.

Dalila was surprised when he took her into his arms, but she used her toes to top her heels wherever they may. Her arms went around his neck as he carried her, her shoes landing with loud thumps. She stretched her neck and tensed to kiss his neck as he carried her. It crossed her mind then that it did not happen often that a client carried her to bed, and it had something very romantic to it…

Until he put her on her feet again and threw that feel right out the window. Race? Her mind took a couple of seconds to switch gears, going from full on kiss, to carried to the bed, and now raced to… get naked. Okay, she could do that. When he looked up, Dalila gave herself a small shake to break out of the kind of stupefaction that had her stand stock still given how quickly he had gone from intimate and sensual to playful and racing...

Her hands went behind her back, not really caring to win that particular race but still hasty enough to give the impression that she was playing along, and the dress was completely unzipped. It slipped all the way down, revealing a matching set of deep blue, lacy underwear. She stepped out of the dress, picked it up and draped it over a chair in the corner.

She still had a smile on her lips, still enjoying his company and all, as she removed her bra to free her generous breasts from their support. When she removed her last piece of underwear, he was done, in spite of her having considerably less to remove. He was quite visibly aroused, but arousal was not being an issue for either one of them right at this moment, she knew. Bra and panties – the latter of which did bear witness of the arousal mentioned before – landed near the same chair than the dress.

Her skin had its olive tan all over, without any hints of tan marks. The only other color on her skin came from the dark, trimmed hair at the apex of her thigh, and the areola of her breasts, currently tightly rippled and nipples erect, that were a shade darker than her skin. She did not simply stand there for him to make the first move, did not let the sudden change of pace bother her. Instead, she took a good look at him and when her eyes reached his, she spoke. “You are absolutely gorgeous.” Her tone was sincere, as if the words coming out of her mouth had not passed through any filters and had simply been blurted out.

Dalila whispered soft words of gratitude when he complimented her place. She had done very little to it, if not to choose the accessories that decorated the place and added some color to the standard white walls and wooden floors. When she finally came back to him, he whispered a playful warning. There would be no distractions here, no witnesses. They were alone for an indefinite amount of time. Or at least, until morning. He had paid for the evening, but Dalila already knew that she would not be kicking him out when time was up. He would sleep here, if he so desired.

“No one to stop you, and I certainly will not.” She said, much on the same tone than he had used. He pulled her to him and she was eager to come close, now that she knew it was what he desired right at this moment. Their lips met and Dalila reacted in a most natural manner. Her hands went up to cup his face between her palm with a light touch. His arm passed around her and her own hands began to slowly move down the sides of his neck before following the collar of his shirt. The tie was made a quick work of – she could tie him again later for him if need be – and then her nimble little fingers went to the buttons of his shirt.

Dalila felt the dress loosen on her body and she knew that, like her, he was working to get rid of the layers of clothing that kept their bodies apart. Her hands worked almost out of muscle memory, rather than thought, as her mind was far more focused on the man wearing the shirt. She cared for his breathing, for the way he kissed and touch her. She registered hints and cues of what he wanted, of where things should head so that it felt natural to him. With her arms angled downward, and the dress being unzipped, the shoulders of the dress began to slips down on her upper arms on their own and would eventually reveal a strapless deep blue bra.

When Seth broke the kiss, her lips chased his for a few seconds, and her hands reached the height of his belt. She pulled gently onto the shirt to take it out of his pants. He kissed his way down to her neck, and she tilted her head away from him, offering him the smooth surface of her soft skin. She loved the kisses, but the gentle nibbles made her shiver into his arms and the skin all over her body seemed to react to it with every single tiny hair standing on ends.

He spoke words against her neck, and she felt his warm breath against her skin. The genuine tone of his words spoke to parts of her that should have been more guarded. Her defenses had long been torn down by Seth without even trying. She was simply weak against his natural charms. The three words were easy to answer, and she knew a dozen ways to answer to them, but for a moment she was breathless and her hands pushed the sides of the shirt open. When her mind caught up and managed to formulate an answer, she spoke softly. “I am all yours.”

Out in the hallway, it was empty and she was thankful for it. No one would care that she brought a client up here. It was the purpose of these living quarters. What worried Dalila was how profoundly Seth affected her, and she dreaded meeting with a companion who would see straight through it all. She smiled when he admitted being eager, and led him toward the door to her quarters. She used her key card and opened the door.

“Don’t be. Everything will be fine.” Dalila said with just the perfect tone to be reassuring. It was a line that she had delivered hundreds of times, albeit not always in this particular situation. She pushed the door open and entered. The light had been left on, but subdued so that they were not greeted by a dark apartment. The loft-style apartment was in no way cluttered or cramped, and the light pastel colors seemed to reflect the gentle nature of the companion living within its walls.

“Welcome in my quarters. ” She said when he entered into the hall. The door closed behind him, and the lock activated on its own; a standard among all the doors to private quarters, leading people forgetting their key cards inside to be locked out of their room. Some of them in interestingly compromising situations too. It had never happened to her personally, of course. She always triple-checked to make sure that she had her card with her, but the click of the lock falling into place always made her aware that it was a possibility.

She stood behind him and her hands went to the collar of his jacket, where she pulled gently. “Let me take care of this.” She offered, so that his jacket would remain clean, and not get all rumpled. Dalila put it away, among her own jackets in a small closet, but she left Seth’s immediate vicinity only a few seconds before coming back to him like metal to a magnet. She didn’t want to appear clingy or like she was throwing herself at him, but that tension between them made it so that she could not stay away long. She held out a hand for him to take, intent on leading him somewhere comfortable, although she couldn’t make up her mind on whether she should lead him to the couch or directly to bed. If he gave the slightest hint of his preference between the loveseat and the large bed, Dalila would catch on and act on it.

“There are always ways to get more tea if that happens. All it requires is a bit of time to get ready again.” Dalila whispered softly as they walked. She noted the smile and thought that he may be blushing but she was not sure. Regardless, he was obviously enjoying the subtle talk. Even just walking with him like this was enjoyable. The tension between them made her look forward to what was coming with a certain eagerness, rather than a sense of professional duty. Not all the wealthy people she catered to were snotty, disagreeable or lazy. Actually, those who were never could hire her twice. With some of them she had a similar kind of chemistry, but yet different.

It was far more intense with him.

The elevator did not take long to get to them, because it was not in use as predicted. Dalila was quite glad to see it empty. Dalila had no intention to jump on him, or at least not in the beginning. She thought that she’d behave herself until they were through the doors of her quarters, and then what had to happen would happen and she would not oppose any resistance. Quite the contrary. The doors closed as she pressed the button and she felt Seth’s hand guide her body into position. She moved, raising her arms to wrap them around his shoulder and her fingers caressed the short hair on the back of his head. She made every effort to keep the energy of the kiss to an easily interruptible pace. Her lips brushed against his, captured his and sucked gently, pressed against his… As much as she wanted to, she resisted opening her lips to deepen the kis.

When his lips reached hers, she closed her eyes and allowed herself to melt against him. Her body molded his without any obvious attempt at making him tent his pants, but with enough insistence that he would not miss her desire to be close to him. She could feel his athletic form against the soft contours of her own body and it threw fire to the oil. Dalila knew to control herself, but Seth was making it so easy to want to forget that they were still in a public place, that the elevator could slow down and open its doors for more guests at any time…

But it did not. The smooth ride up, spent exchanging gentle, sensual kisses, came to an equally smooth halt on the top floor of the ship. With a soft noise from an electronic bell, it signaled the need for them to stop kissing and prepare to meet people in the hall toward her quarters. These were the Companion’s quarters, the small penthouses rented to them so that they could entertain their clients. One of the true penthouses would take the space of two dedicated to the companions, but the space was still precious and airy, considering what Seth was probably used to.

“Our last steps together tonight where we have to keep appearance up.” She said very softly to him, when she the noise of the doors opening behind her. “Nervous?” Dalila asked in a soft whisper. She put some distance between them, but just like before, her hand moved to his, securing it in a firm but gentle hold. She had a touch of color to her cheeks, a witness of how the kiss affected her, rather than shyness or any sort of embarrassment. The hallway was empty, and Dalila would guide him three doors down to the left, unless he held her back.

Dalila smiled as he played into the metaphor that she had used to invite him up to her place. Being with him here was pleasant, it was relaxing and comforting. This was what the void needed to be filled, and she knew it. It was the kind of presence that she craved but could not allow herself to feel unless the man accepted her profession, offered her a life-long contract or she left the guild. The first was unlikely, few men were secure enough to agree to date a Companion, even less so in a serious and steady manner. The second would not be possible for him, he would never have this kind of money unless he won big, really big, or found something worth a whole lot of credits.

The last… It would make her jobless until she found something else to apply her skills to, not that that was particularly difficult. The pill that was hard to swallow was how a few hours would get her a few thousands as a companion, but a whole week as a massage therapist or a hostess, or a hotel manager would get her barely scraping by… That option was so unappealing. She wanted to keep working here just a few more months before the thought of retirement crossed her mind. Just a few more months and she would be able to settle with her earned money without depending on a low income job to pay for her every day needs.

“I am quite certain that I have just enough for us both.” She answered and smiled, though she moved away to allow him to walk quite reluctantly. She could feel cold air move in where he had been pressed against her. As she moved away, her hands moved off his body slowly, screaming about her unwillingness to put distance between them, but when time came to remove them completely, Dalila slipped her hand into his to hold onto as they walked, lacing her fingers with his.

“I am on the other side of the boat. We could cross here and take the lift on the other side.” She suggested, and the lift on the other side had the perk of being far less busy. Of course, there were cameras in there, just like in every lift, but Dalila could not care less. Neither would strip in that box, and the time to get from this floor to hers was nowhere near enough for them to get into any seriously compromising situation. She had to decide how she would tackle their intimacy, how he might appreciate that she do. Let him lead, or take the lead. Strip for him, let him undress her, or undress him? So many options, but the best that she could do was to wait and see, and hope to read him right when time came.

She was not exactly nervous, maybe a little apprehensive, because she wanted to be perfect for him. Not once during the coming hours did she want him to remember that he was with a companion, or at least nowhere enough to kill the mood. Dalila led him gently toward the bridge that covered the gap between the two sides. Down below were gardens, pools, even some tennis fields and a cricket field too. The main floor wasn’t too far below, but her own apartment was almost completely at the top. Companions staying on the Oasis were in high demand, well paid and well housed as they brought some business.

2517, The Unification War has been over for a decade and Miranda is still a secret. Into The Black is an Alternate Universe Firefly & Serenity fandom roleplaying game. It centers around independent crews of different ships which travel all over the 'verse created by Joss Whedon.